Enter any address in Franklin County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events dominates the flood character in Franklin County. Over the last 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 37 flood events and 26 flash flood events. Recent examples include torrential rainfall causing flash flooding across northern and central Iowa in May 2024, and heavy rainfall on saturated ground leading to flooding in September 2018.
While the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has recorded fewer claims in this county, the data indicates that properties in Zone X, which typically have lower flood risk, have experienced higher average payouts ($38,102) compared to Zone A properties ($2,903) with recorded water depths. Homeowners in areas identified as Zone A, as well as those in Zone X, should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
58 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Franklin County, Iowa has recorded 63 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 26 flash floods and 37 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 10 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 20, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Dec 15, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Sep 21, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Jun 14, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 21, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 17, 2019 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Sep 20, 2018 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 20, 2018 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Sep 5, 2018 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Sep 5, 2018 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Sep 5, 2018 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 5, 2018 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 29, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 23, 2016 | 50.00K |
Flood — May 21, 2024
PLEASE NOTE, for tornadoes, please see separate Storm Data entry for May 21st. ||Multiple rounds of thunderstorms brought torrential rainfall, damaging winds, hail and destructive tornadoes to the state. These thunderstorms were the result of a low pressure system which lifted north into the area on the night of May 20th, 2024, producing slow moving storms that dropped 2 to 4 inches of rainfall...
Flash Flood — Mar 17, 2019
Reports from the 13h through the 19th in this entry. ||A relatively deep and widespread snowpack existed across the region during early to mid March. Many areas in central and northern Iowa had around a foot to two feet of snow on the ground, along with many areas in upstream river basins in Minnesota and the Dakotas having similar or deeper snowpacks on the ground. Additionally, with the below...
Flood — Sep 20, 2018
More heavy rainfall was seen across the area, primarily situated over the northern third of the state, as a surface boundary sat across central Iowa and a shortwave moved through the upper level flow. Overall, conditions remained ripe and very much summer-like as opposed to mid-September including precipitable water values were around and in excess of 1.7 inches, moderate to strong low level mo...
Flash Flood — Sep 20, 2018
More heavy rainfall was seen across the area, primarily situated over the northern third of the state, as a surface boundary sat across central Iowa and a shortwave moved through the upper level flow. Overall, conditions remained ripe and very much summer-like as opposed to mid-September including precipitable water values were around and in excess of 1.7 inches, moderate to strong low level mo...
Flood — Sep 5, 2018
Wet conditions continued across the state with yet another round of moderate to heavy rainfall on top of already mostly saturated conditions. A shortwave moving through the upper level flow out of the southwest, a surface front situated to the west and northwest of the state, and strong 850 mb flow were the main contributors to showers and storms. ||Conditions were certainly conducive for hea...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Franklin County, Iowa:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Franklin County, Iowa that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.